Proposal for Layers and list of categories, Athens 2012
Proposal for Layers and list of categories, Athens 2012 Descriptions Layer descriptions Category descriptions Guidlines Layer text: For each layer there will be a short introductory text describing general trends and processes that cannot be mapped. Item texts: Texts that will come out in pop up boxes on the online map and will have information about the project (description, neighbourhood, deals, impacts....). Graphic representation of categories on maps will use: Areas : Symbols: represent objects (buildings, projects) Stamps: describe processes (deals, strategies, policies and effects ) 'LAYER 1 : City description and contextual information (since 1991)' Text for this layer including: Information as supporting papers or pop-up windows that will help us to understand the changes provoked by the neoliberalisation processes in the course of the last 20 years and highlight the contextual specificities of ea+h city, i.e. planning politics and informality. This includes data on income distribution, specificity of the city, define the most specific information about the urban areas (e.g. social housing in former GDR or informal housing in other countries). Also information about how planning is taking place. Describe: Governance structures- mechanisms, public - state urban planning, private urban planning, mixed urban planning Try to give information on Wealth and income inequality in your city. Show wealth gap / inequality distribution in cities. It is up to the city teams to decide on the indicators to be used (because not every city has the same data bases, i.e. income / wealth data distribution / real estate and rent values, etc). Suggestion: mix quantitative (statistical data) and qualitative means of representing wealth by adding information in the text about the ‘perception’ of extremes (wealth and poverty) over a statistical map. Map Urban region (1) The boundary of the metropolitan areas, relationship between urban and rural, new suburban areas) today. At least two boundaries (to show that they are not fixed, but that they depend on perspective, political issues etc.) (extra map) Central areas (2) 'today (surface) '''Subcentres (3) 'today (surface) ''' Wealthy and poor (extremes) (surface) or Wealth inequality (extra map) Used for the exhibition maps 2010: 'Very high income areas (8)' Informal urbanisation processes (15) '''or other significant forms of informality. ''Used for the exhibition maps 2010: Informal settlements (15) ' ' 'LAYER 2: Strategies and Projects of the NMM' This layer intends to describe and trace the hegemonic discourse affecting the development of cities in recent years. This discourse/ doctrine consists of both a ‘bright’ /glossy imaginary about flagship projects, reinvention of city centres, urban developments, commodification, financialisation, cultural entrepreneurial clusters, creative classes etc, but also a ‘dark side’ (which is mainly an economic doctrine) about the need to privatise public sector and public assets, the shrinking of the welfare state and zero tolerance doctrines etc. '''''Introductory text for this layer including: Describe (and map) city marketing strategies and policies (narratives, imagery production, city branding) intending to ‘place the city in the world map’ and attract investments and qualified labour. These include urban development projects, flagship projects, big transport infrastructure (high speed trains, airports, exclusive highways etc) and other prestige projects, as well as significant events and festivals. Refer to the impact of these policies and projects on cities and local society, for example the effects of changing local administration budgets in favour of NMM projects, changing in regulation, etc. If relevant mention possible positive side effects. Map: 2Α: Spaces formed by the NMM hegemonic discourse and imaginary ''' Flagship projects (12) (symbol/icon) failed / not realised flagship projects (symbol) Image related developments (e.g. waterfront developments, and big events such as Olympics) ''(new)' (surface)' Trendy places and neighbourhoods (5) à emerging trendiness (surface or stamp) Big transport infrastructure '''''Used for the exhibition maps 2010: Strategic urban infrastructure projects (11) (symbol/icon) Historical reconstruction (fake identity rebirth)(symbol) 2B: Spaces of accumulation by dispossession: Areas of privatization (7)(surface or stamp) Definition: The process of privatizing something that was public or common ( Public spaces, assets and services (public space, housing, education, health) / Natural resources (e.g. dispossession of rivers, water, land, green spaces, dispossession of quality of air through pollution, etc.) / Privatisation of cultural heritage/ identity (examples: exploitation through tourism) Areas of speculative (re)investment '(3,4 )(surface) Processes and projects of (private, state led, PPP) reinvestment (usually in previously disinvested or low income areas), such as intense neighbourhood upgrading or speculative urban regeneration processes (including gentrification), having negative effects on actual inhabitants and users of the area because of rent and real estate values increase, leading to displacement and exclusion of low income and vulnerable groups. ' ' 'LAYER 3 : Spaces of Injustice The aim here is to map the parallel social processes related, directly or conditionally, with the implementation of the NMM in cities. It is an attempt to record the ‘dark side of the moon’ from a critical perspective, what has been called the collateral damage (‘necessary’ and/or ‘unavoidable’ according to the cynicism of the neoliberal doctrine) of modernisation and development processes or as stated in the INURA declaration 8 “resisting the damaging effects of globalisation”. Text for this layer including: Describe power and gender relations, social and welfare policies neglected or cut because of the prioritisation of NMM policies, what is happening on the societal level in terms of inequality, but also migration issues, conflicts, general regression, rising of far ght.... Map: Downgraded and deprived areas '''(surface): areas of disinvestment with little or no maintenance, extreme phenomena of exclusion, marginalisation, unemployment, lack of income etc. Neighbourhoods with high concentration of vulnerable groups, such as migrants, roma and other, ghettos, “quartiers sensibles” etc. ''Used for the exhibition maps 2010: areas of disinvestment (9)'' 'Processes of displacement '(surface) 'Evictions ''(new) '(symbol) '''Spaces of repression and control ''(new) '''(area or symbol?) Areas of surveillance (Control and repression in public spaces (civic codes, cameras, extreme policing…). Detention (“Reception”) centres/gaols etc. Extreme repression (area of militarization, para-militarization) 'Gated Communities and exclusionary zones '(6) public and private spaces with restricted or controlled access and/or private security.' '''Spaces corruption and abuse' (new) (stamp) ('''Quite similar to what was described as Deals in the Case study guidelines). Projects, plans or public works heavily affected by corruption. Strategic plans designed by the ruling groups (outside and beyond urban planning legislation). Speculative legal (or almost illegal) buildings and illegal elite villas. ' '''New spaces of extreme exploitation of labour' (new) (stamp or areas with stamp) '''Private services using flexible and very low paid work (including knowledge work). Flexicurity dogma and precarious working conditions (not very easy to map since it is dispersed and involves almost all urban labour nowadays). Special production zones (legal or illegal) like sweatshops, maquillas, agriculture and other, ' without workers rights.' Subcontracting practices by public services or private companies (e.g. cleaning companies in public services). Construction projects violating security measures and working rights (e.g. Olympic construction camps). ' Environmental degradation ''(new) ' '(stamp) '''Intends to map the effects, direct or indirect, of NMM projects or other investments, endangering or deteriorating living conditions of neighbourhoods, deprived or poor areas creating conditions of environmental injustice. Such as incinerators, garbage dumps, change in use of designated urban green areas etc LAYER 4: Geographies of the Crisis' What to do with the layer categories???? Revise categories of Layer 1,2,4 through CRISIS lenses or have Crisis categories? How to represent this layer in the map: Will appear in a second map in the book showing differences (with the same categories) Will appear in a second map were you highlight the changes, could be a smaller and simpler map No crisis ''Text of this layer including: This layer is attempting to map the spatial effects of the crisis (after 2007…). It is also a layer were the time dimension is very important. It ‘sits’ over the previous ones and sees what has happened to older projects/ processes (failed, change in objectives, intensification of privatization and inequality processes. It will map processes that are happening in the name of the crisis: ‘crisis’ as an opportunity to accelerate processes of neoliberalisation (deregulation) of the system and shrinking/privatisation of public sector (privatisation of public services, «fast track» frameworks of investment procedures, violation of existing regulations and rights et. City layer texts will also try to mention new emerging forms of informality or transformations in informal urbanisation processes. Map: Inequality intensification ''(new):'' try to show intensification of wealth, new areas of poverty or new types of poverty..... Failed investments ''(new) (stamp):'' because of the crisis. Flagships projects or image related developments that were abandoned because of the crisis or neighbourhood upgrading processes that were stopped. New spaces of privatisation ''(new):'' of public assets, urban spaces, common resources (area) and changes in regulatory framework in order to accelerate the process (stamp). Crisis related displacement and evictions ''(new) (stamp): Areas with extended phenomena of foreclosures and seizures. Evictions because of privatisation of public housing. '''Reinforced authoritarianism' in the name of the crisis (new) (stamp): policing, control, repression and exclusion. Appearance of far right practices (to map them or to text them?) Reappearence of Keyneseanism (new) (stamp or area)' (remunicipalisation of water, new state led programmes, social housing projects). New state-led reinvestment 'LAYER 5: Possible Urban Worlds' '''''Text of this layer including: Spaces and projects produced by city inhabitants/ grassroots showing a different perspective for city development, fighting against the dominant model of NMM that promotes competitiveness, entrepreneurial strategies and policies. These projects and spaces fight for just redistribution and access for all, cooperative models, solidarity, right to the city, ecology, freedom, creativity, building utopia, liberating the urban imagination, happiness J à refer to INURA declaration In order to represent changes because of crisis (movements or initiatives that do not exist anymore will be more faded and new ones (after crisis) will be more intense. Map: Used for the exhibition maps 2010: spaces and Places of Resistance/Alternatives (16) Resistance/ Contested spaces (stamp). '''Fights to gain rights, spaces, access to... Reclaiming (included the environmental dimensions). Contested spaces, contested projects. '''Conflicts about identities of places '''Building alternatives in everyday life (area or symbol). '''Developing alternatives to everyday life, housing, collective spaces, culture, art, housework / reproduction work / care (gender role). Self organised spaces, cooperatives, collective urbanization (social and cultural infrastructure). Spaces of happiness (and pleasure). Victories and case when NMM projects failed because of the movement against it. Appropriation of public spaces, housing, social centres, art and culture workshops...Building and neighbourhood regeneration by local governments with positive effects to local societies (eg. Medellin).